The Senegalese Football Federation found itself at the center of controversy after it was discovered that the doctor who accompanied the national team for nearly ten years was a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology.
The revelation came to light after Senegal’s elimination from the 2026 World Cup, when the federation’s new president launched an internal review of the team’s operations.
According to the authorities, several footballers had already expressed doubts about the medical care they received, although the matter had never been investigated in depth. The case sparked intense debate over oversight within the federation and accelerated a restructuring of the national team’s medical and technical staff.
However, the controversy has an important nuance: the Senegalese Association of Sports Medicine stated that the doctor also has training in sports medicine, so his specialty in gynecology does not necessarily mean that he was unqualified to serve as the team doctor. Even so, the case has generated criticism over the lack of transparency and oversight for so many years.